Dust-separator



(Nd Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. SHELLEY. DUST SEPARATOR.

N0. 465,544, Patented Dec. 22,1891.

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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. H. SHELLEY. DUST SEPARATOR.-

No. 465,544. Patented Dec. 22, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. SHELLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

DUST-SEPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,544, dated December 22, 1891.

Application filed April 7, 1891. Serial No. 388,001. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, J AMES H. SHELLEY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Dust-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this dust-separatin g apparatus is to prevent dust from passing out into the atmosphere in a mill, thereby avoiding the inconvenience heretofore resulting therefrom and at the same time saving such solid materials as may be useful.

When this invention is used for removing dust from Wheat and other grains, the screenings are passed off at one place and the wheat at another and the dust at a third opening, and when the machine is employed as a middlings-purifier the bran is passed off through one spout and the middlings at another.

I arrange this apparatus with reference to the creation of dead-air spaces, into which the dust or other solid materials will be projected by their inertia and the current of air passes away from or avoids such dead-air spaces, in order that the solid matter may be free to subside While exposed to little or no atmospheric current. I arrange a double case, in which the air is caused to move circularly, but in opposite directions, and such circulating air is drawn into the interior of the apparatus and through the materials to be separated as such materials fall from one hopper to another.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section at the line as, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a similar section at right angles to Fig. 1 and at the line y, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan at the line 00 0;, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan near the line y y, Fig. 2.

The exterior case A is polygonal, or nearly so, and preferably provided with rounding interior corners 2. This case A has a top A and a hopper-bottom H, terminating with a spout H, and across this case is a shaft B, having a fan-blower C of any suitable character. The air is drawn into the sides of the fan'blower case near the center at 3 and it is projected into the exterior case through the trunk D, and such air circulates around does not extend all the Way around, and there trunk D into the space between the exterior case A and the hanging skirt E, and as it travels around the same and in the corners of the exterior case the current is lessened in its velocity, and in addition to this the rotary motion given to the air in traveling around the case diminishes in a downward direction, be cause the lower end of the hanging skirt E is open and there is a suction action beneath this lower end of the hanging skirt, which prevents the rotary movement of the air extending down into the hopper, and the air passes around the end 4 of the hanging skirt E, returning in an opposite direction, and the dust and lighter particles are carried by the inertia into the dead-air space 5, through which they fall readily to the hopper H, and the air as it travels in the space 6 between the skirts E and E returns as it passes around the end 7 of the skirt E, and the particles of dust are carried by their inertia into the dead-air space 8 and also fall into the hopper H, and the air traveling around between the skirt E and the interior case F is drawn through the opening 10, and the dust is carried by the inertia into the dead-air space 11 and falls into the hopper H. Through the interior case F and opposite to the opening 10 is a second opening 12, and the air is drawn through these openings 10 and 12 into the interior separator-case F, and thence proceeds up to the blower, as before mentioned, so that the air does not pass to the external atmosphere, and the dust is retained within the separator.

Within the interior separator-case F there are one or more hoppers and deflectors for presenting the material to be acted upon to the ascending currents of air. The material itself is supplied through a spout K and falls upon a deflector L, and by it the material is spread laterally, and it falls from the edge of this deflector through the ascending current of air upon a hopper M, and such material is again exposed to the action of the ascending current of air as it falls from the lower edge of this hopper M.

If there is but one hopper M, the material will fall therefrom direct into the hopper N, leading to the discharge-spout P. If there are two or more of thehoppers M, the material will fall from the lower edges thereof upon the deflectors L and pass down the separatorcase, and in so doing the material can be exposed to a current of air as often as may be desired.-

In order to direct the currents of air in the most advantageous manner upon the material, I provide beneath each hopper M a conical inclosure R, the upper edge of which is united to :the under surface of the hopper M bya band 15, and these conical inclosuresR are cut away opposite the openings 10 and 12, and atthe sides of the openings 10 and 12 there are plates 0 0, so that the atmosphere as it is circulated passes through theopenings 10 and 12 and into the conical spaces between the .inclosures R and the (hoppers M, so that suchair is drawn with uniformity and .regularity up through between the-lower ends of the hoppers M and thedeflectors L L-as such air proceeds upwardly within the separatorcase :F,.and it is advantageous for the upper and larger edges of thehoppers M notto extend 'to the interior of the case F, so that there maybe a gradual ascending current upwardly within'each of the hoppers M and belowtheconical inclosures of the nexthopper above, and this ascending current-of air takeswith it the dust and other materials from the descending grain or other substance, and-the heavier portions fall within thecase F into the hopper F and is delivered bythe spout :G.

The valve S is provided invthespout K, and it is pivoted at its upper edge, and there is connected with this pivot a weight S, which may be adjusted upon a lever-arm, so that the valve S will yield to a given weight of material within such spout K, and this Will regulate the supply through the spout K and preventthe admission of external atmosphere, and it is advantageous to provide similar val-vesGr in the spout Grand P in the spout P, and a similar valve may beprovided in the spout H. t

It is now to be understood that :when grain is introduced by the spout K the dust will be delivered from the spout H and imperfect grains and seeds will be delivered by the spout G.

If middlings are supplied by the spout K, the purified middlings will pass by the spout Pand vthe bran or dust will pass by-the spout H',:a-nd-the intermediate materials known as cut-offs will pass by the spout G.

I find it advantageous to place the interior separatorand the hoppers toward one side of the case A,in order that there may bearecess A inone'side of the case extending back to the inner separator-case F, and at this place the separatoncase F is provided with movable doors or slides 18, which cover the openings that lead into the respective hoppers M, so that access is given to these hoppers for cleaning the same should they become obstructed, and the recessed portion A of the exterior case A forms a partition that prevents the current of air circulating all around within the exterior case A and promotes the efficiency of the dead-air spaces 5 and 19. 19 is below the mouth of the trunk D, and it will be apparent that in the operation of this apparatusth'e current of air passing out through the trunk D travels around the upper portion of the case A above this dead-air space and its velocity is lessened as it descends, and the deadsai'r space 19is of ail-arge size and is very eflicient in allowing the-solid particlestosubside as the current lessens in a downward direction, and it is'advantageous to provide an opening between the dead-air space 8 and-the dead-air space -l9,'as shown at 20, so that the dust and solid matter, as it subsides in these two deadair spaces, will not become clogged-between theends of the skirts E and thecase F, but will pass down intothe hopper H.

=Iclaim;as my invention- 1. The combination, in a separator, :of-a closed exterior case having a hopper-bottom and adischarge-spout, a blower within the case, having a trunk opening into the'upper part ofsuch case, an interior separator-case and a'hopper-bottom to the-same, with a deliveryspout, the opening'of the blower-case taking the :air-from the interior separatorcase,-a supply-chute for the material to :be acted upon, adeiiector and a hopper fortpresenting the material within the inner separator-caseitothe upward current of air, and a hanging skirt partially surrou ndingthetinner separator-case, open at the lower edge-and atone vertical-endforreversingthe-direction of thecurrent of airandproducing a-deatLair space, into which thedust is projected, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a separator,-of an exterior case with a hopper-bottom and delivery-spout, an interior separator-case having a hopper-shaped bottom and delivery spout, a blower drawingair from theinterior-separatorcase and discharging the same between the interior andexterior-cases, and a hanging skirt partiallyv surrounding the inner case and open at the lower edge and at one vertical-end "for reversing the direction of the air to produce a dead-airspace, into which thedust is projected and falls, substantially as set forth.

:3. The combination, in a separator of the closed-exterior case having-a hopper-bottom, an interior separator-case with a hopper-bottom and discharge-spout, a blower fordraw in g the air from-the interior case and discharging the same at the upper part between the exterior and interior cases,tand two jhang'ing skirts,'one within the other and partially-surrounding the interior separator-case and open The dead-air space IOC IIO

at their respective ends for reversing the direction of the circulating current of air and producing dead-air spaces adjacent to and beyond the vertical ends,into which the solid materials are projected by inertia, substantially as setforth.

at. The combination, in a separator, of an exterior case, the interior case, a blower to draw the air from the interior case and pass the same into the space between the exterior and interior cases, a supply-spout and valve, a deflector upon which the material falls and is spread, a hopper below such deflector, and a conical in closure below the hopper, having an opening through the separator-case for the air to be drawn inand pass up through the opening of the hopper and act upon the material as it descends for carrying the dust and light substances upwardly in the interior case, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a separator, ot' the three hoppers N, F, and H and their respective discharge-spouts, the exterior case A, the interior separator-case F, the blower for circulating the air through the case, and the hanging skirts around the interior case and open at their bottom edges, and the opposite vertical ends for reversing the direction of the current and producing the dead-air spaces, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a separator, of the interior case F, having a hopper-bottom, the closed exterior case A and its hopper-bottom and discharge-spout, a blower for circulating the air upwardly in the interior case and dis charging the same within the upper part of the exterior case, the recessed portion of the exterior case extending to the interior case, there being openings in the interior case with covers or slides, the hopper within the interior case, and the supply-spout, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a separator, of exterior and interior cases with hopper-bottoms and delivery-spouts, a blower to circulate the air upwardly in the interior case and around and downwardly within the exterior case, supply-chute, deflector, and hopper, there being openings through the interior case below the hopper for the passage of the air, substantially as specified.

Signed by me this 28th day of March, 1891.

J. H. SHELLEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, WILLI M G. Morr. 

